Wayne Rooney rates two Premier League managers above Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta

Wayne Rooney believes Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is only the ‘third-best manager’ in the Premier League.

Arteta is desperately hoping to bring a long-awaited Premier League trophy to the Emirates Stadium after three successive second-place finishes.

Ex-Arsenal midfielder Arteta has only won the FA Cup since his appointment in December 2019 but becoming the first manager since Arsene Wenger to lift the Premier League title would transform his legacy at the club.

The Gunners had stagnated for several years before Arteta took over and the Spaniard has been praised for changing the mentality and improving standards in north London.

However, a manager who has spent £1 billion on signings may have expected to secure more silverware and it has been suggested another season without a trophy could cost Arteta his job.

Rooney insists Arteta is doing a ‘fantastic job’ at Arsenal but only rates him as the third-best manager in the Premier League.

Top of the list, according to Rooney, is Manchester City’s legendary manager Pep Guardiola, while Unai Emery sits second in Rooney’s mind.

Emery endured a disappointing spell at Arsenal after replacing Gunners icon Arsene Wenger but is showing his pedigree at Villa Park.

Aston Villa qualified for the Champions League for the first time under Emery, while the Midlands club are threatening to mount a surprise Premier League title challenge this season.

Guardiola, meanwhile, is one of the greatest managers in history, having won multiple league titles in England, Spain and Germany as well as lifting the Champions League three times.

Discussing Emery’s managerial credentials on his BBC podcast, former Manchester United and England striker Rooney said: ‘Unai Emery was the first over to come in after Arsene Wenger and we saw with David Moyes and Sir Alex [Ferguson] how difficult that can be.

‘That’s a huge pressure. That was a difficult one but the Arsenal job isn’t a true reflection of him.

‘In my opinion he’s probably the second-best manager in the Premier League when you look at what he’s doing. You can’t judge Emery on what happened at Arsenal.

‘Mikel Arteta is doing fantastic as well.’

A continuation of Aston Villa’s form this season would put Emery in contention for the Premier League Manager of the Year award.

But Rooney believes Regis Le Bris is the current frontrunner for the particular award following Sunderland’s sensational return to the Premier League.

Sunderland were widely tipped to go straight back down to the Championship at the start of the season but the Black Cats are already virtually safe, sitting seventh on 26 points.

Sunderland’s impressive form continued at the weekend as Le Bris’ side beat Newcastle United in the Tyne-Wear derby.

‘I got one of my few wins [as Plymouth Argyle manager] against Le Bris and Sunderland I think,’ Rooney added.

‘It’s a different squad and a different group of players at Sunderland now. They’ve changed tactically as well.

‘I think he was an analyst coach at his previous job and he’s gone and got Sunderland promoted which was incredible.

‘If you’re choosing manager of the season right now, he would have to be up there. I would probably choose him over any other manager at the minute.’

During his own managerial career, Rooney had spells at Championship sides Derby County and Birmingham City, League One outfit Plymouth Argyle and MLS team DC United.

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